Makingchips | Equipping Manufacturing Leaders

Top Shops 2025 brought together the most innovative, forward-thinking leaders in manufacturing—and this year's gathering at the NASCAR Hall of Fame felt like stepping directly into the winners' circle. Surrounded by the energy of hundreds of top-tier manufacturers, we sat down with the four shops recognized as the crème de la crème in their categories: Technology, Shopfloor Technology, Business Strategy, and Human Resources. Together, these honorees represent what's possible when ambition meets execution. In this special episode of MakingChips, recorded live in Charlotte, we talk with each winner about the decisions, investments, philosophies, and people that drove their rise to the top. From multimachine pallet-tech automation and Swiss machining efficiency to bold equipment investments and workforce strategies that transform culture, each story reveals a different path to excellence. Yet all four shops share a mindset of curiosity, courage, and relentless improvement. Throughout these conversations, we expl